Requests Have Been Made from Our Admin to Add More Work (WGBH and STEM and VAST Expansion)

VAST Science Team Goals & Objectives aligned to Iowa’s Six Year State Performance Plan

VAST Mission: The Van Allen Science Teaching Center provides leadership and support for exemplary science teaching to ensure success for all learners.

VAST Vision: We envision a community where people understand and use basic scientific principles to:

 experience the richness and excitement of knowing about and understanding the natural world;  use appropriate scientific processes and principles in making personal decisions;  engage intelligently in public discourse and debate about matters of scientific and technological concern;  increase their economic productivity through the use of the knowledge, understanding, and skills of the scientifically literate person in their careers.

Special Education District Data Essential Questions as part of the Six Year Plan:

1. Students with Disabilities Enter School Ready to Learn at High Levels

At this time, VAST does not provide services for Pre-school age children. However, due to requests from several districts to provide early childhood/pre-school science materials, VAST Center staff is discussing appropriate-age materials with publishers to see if this need can be met by the VAST Center program.

The WGBH course is currently serving several pre-school teachers as well as special education teachers. The teaching strategies introduced are those shown to be effective for all students.

2. Students with Disabilities Participate in District Wide Assessments

NCLB requirements mandate that science assessment data be reported for all students in grades 5, 8, and 11. GWAEA data indicate most students with IEPs are participating in district assessments. Science consultants have assisted districts in writing their science multiple assessments. GWAEA consultants have also helped develop exemplars that accompany the alternative science assessments, developed at the state level, for those few students who need a different means of demonstrating their science proficiency.

The VAST Center Science Consultants recommend that all students be provided the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of science concepts through multiple approaches, i.e. best practices in assessment reflect formative and summative as well as multiple formats.

3. Students with Disabilities Meet Proficiency on District Wide Assessments

Agency-wide data and district student achievement data provide evidence that ALL students, including students with disabilities, are achieving, as measured by proficiency levels. In fact, we have noted from Agency-wide ITBS/ITED data that all students have higher proficiency levels in science than the other two core areas.

The following research studies support the connection between science as it is taught in the VAST Science program and the effects on achievement in science as well as the other core subject areas (literacy and mathematics) for students who participate in such programs.

Revised 4-8-08  Vanosdall, R., Klentschy, M., Hedges, L., & Weisbaum, K. (2007, April). A Randomized Study of the Effects of Scaffolded Guided-Inquiry Instruction in Student Achievement in Science. Paper presented at AERA Annual Conference, Chicago, IL. In this research paper, the authors report on a series of experimental and quasi-experimental studies designed to test the effects of a scaffolded guided-inquiry instructional system on student achievement. (“In their approach, students are guided and supported through the process of constructing their understanding of scientific concepts and the process of scientific inquiry as they work through the lessons, record predictions, observations, and reflections in their [science notebooks], and learn to articulate claims and evidence for their conclusions.”) They compare these effects to those from other instructional systems, specifically kit-based instruction and textbook-based instruction. Two randomized experiments demonstrated that scaffolded guided-inquiry used in conjunction with kit-based materials dramatically improved fifth grade science achievement compared to either text-based instruction or instruction using kit-based materials alone. The research findings presented in this paper are based on the instruction corresponding to a single instructional unit (FOSS Mixtures and Solutions) and a single grade level (grade 5).

 Klentschy, M, Garrison, L & Amaral, O.M. (n.d.) Valle Imperial Project in Science (VIPS): Four Year Comparison of Student Achievement Data, 1995-1999. NSF Foundation Grant #ESI-9731274. This research on FOSS/STC/Insights kits/training included science notebooks and impact on ALL student achievement: When the data was disaggregated according to the number of years of participation in the kit-based program, the results indicated a strong relationship between the years of participation and the pass rate on the 6th grade writing proficiency assessment as well as increased student achievement in science.

 Amaral, O.M., Garrison, L & Klentschy, M. (2002) "Helping English Learners Increase Achievement Through Inquiry-Based Science Instruction", Bilingual Research Journal, 26:2. This research focuses on inquiry-based science instruction and ELL students: Data were collected to measure student achievement in science, writing, reading, and mathematics for participating students. These data were analyzed relative to the number of years that students participated in kit- and inquiry-based science instruction that included the use of science notebooks. Results indicated that the achievement of English learners increased in relation to the number of years they participated in the project. The longer they were in the program, the higher their scores were in science, writing, reading, and mathematics.

 Klentschy, M. and Molina-De La Torre, E. (2004). Students’ science notebooks and the inquiry process. In W. Saul (Ed.). Crossing Borders in Literacy and Science Instruction: Perspectives on Theory and Practice". Arlington, VA: NSTA Press. “Yet at the same time there is a growing body of evidence that indicates a strong relationship between students participating in effective programs of inquiry-based science instruction not only improving their achievement in science, but also in reading, language arts and mathematics” (Amaral et al, 2002 [ELL Students & increased achievement in math with the Science Kit program], Jorgenson and Vanosdall, 2002).

 The Full Option Science System (FOSS) website provides support for use with students with Special Needs -- Hands-on active learning is a great equalizer. All students work together with interest and enthusiasm. FOSS has deep roots in special education. Many of the methodologies and materials were originally developed for students with disabilities in the Science Activities for the Visually Impaired/Science Enrichment for Learners with Physical Handicaps (SAVI/SELPH) programs during the 1970s and ‘80s. The multi sensory philosophy serves all students.

Revised 4-8-08  Iowa Content Network o Study: Scruggs, Mastropieri, Bakken, and Brigham (1993). Reading versus doing: The relative effects of textbook-based and inquiry-oriented approaches to science learning in special education classrooms.

Overall, with the activity/inquiry approach students learned more, enjoyed it more and preferred it more.  With the activity/inquiry approach students scored significantly higher on immediate and 1- week delayed tests of achievement.  Students overwhelmingly preferred the activity/inquiry approach indicating that they enjoyed it more (96%), prompted them to try harder (88%), helped them learn more (77%), would prefer to used it again (96%).  Neither approach contained adequate vocabulary enhancing strategies.

A textbook approach to learning science was compared to an activity/inquiry approach involving twenty-six lower SES, junior high, LD students. Students scored significantly higher with the activity/inquiry approach and also reported that they enjoyed it more, tried harder, felt they learned more and preferred it for future use.

Based on the research findings within the above referenced studies, the VAST Center Science Consultants recommend that ALL students be provided the opportunity to learn in a hands-on, minds-on oriented classroom where students are provided the structure to experience science with the integration of reading, writing and mathematics as part of a science-based program.

4. Students with Disabilities are being Served in Appropriate Settings

Students with special needs are often pulled out of core content classes. This is often not the case with science classes. Students integrated into the regular science classroom, for the most part, experience VAST Center inquiry-based science curriculum kits. Teachers involved in the Every Learner Inquires (ELI) State Science initiative and as participants within the Case Study Schools reported that in these inquiry-based classrooms, it is often hard to discern between general education and special education students:

During interviews, teachers were asked to describe whether the ELI initiative was meeting the needs of all students. Nine of ten teachers stated that the ELI program did indeed meet the needs of all of their students. Many teachers noted that the student with special needs, were able to engage in the learning process as well as the higher achieving students. Most of these comments reference Special Education students and struggling students (i.e., those who had difficulty grasping science). During the interview a teacher indicated, “My resource and my [behavioral disorder] students often outshine my English Language Program students.”

Several teachers reported that inquiry improved the self-efficacy of low achieving students. Some respondents suggested that inquiry-based instruction was better suited to teach low achieving students than a more traditional approach. One teacher stated, “We found the more needy children, the lower end kids do a lot better in the inquiry process than traditional means because they do not have to rely on memorizing things or get things just by reading or listening, they’re free to just try it.” (Jonathan Margolin, Principal Investigator, & Ta-Tanisha Young, July, 2007. Implementation of Every Learner Inquires Initiative: Year One Evaluation Report, p. 46)

Revised 4-8-08 The VAST Center Science Consultants recommend that ALL students be included in the science classroom and the opportunity be provided for ALL students to learn in a research-based science program such as what the VAST Center provides for participating school districts and thus for all students.

The following data shows the number of GWAEA districts/schools/teachers/students that take advantage of the high quality curriculum materials available through the VAST Center:  31 school districts, 4 private & parochial, 2 off-site  106 buildings  Over 1,000 teachers  Over 24,000 students

To assist teachers and districts with developing the appropriate settings, science team members:  Participate on various Agency committees that are charged with helping all students – these include students with a variety of needs: mental, physical and emotional.  Participate in Iowa Department of Education Initiatives such as Every Learner Inquires and Our Kids.  Within institutes and workshops facilitated by the science team, instructional strategies which can be used to differentiate instruction are demonstrated.  Support Co-Teaching which provides highly qualified teachers to students who otherwise may not have the opportunity for full access.  Participate in the Differentiated Instruction Task Force. 5. Students with Disabilities are Prepared for Success Beyond High School

National level research conducted in districts with high numbers of both ELL and low SES students and the use of highly effective PD with the science kits indicates that students should be much better prepared for life and success after school. Looking at the results (mentioned in descriptions above) these would indicate students are better writers, better readers, and are better in math as a result of such a program. This would imply that with these skills and abilities students should be better prepared for life after high school.

6. Local District Compliance Indicators are: effective transition goals, timely and accurate data, and identification and completion of procedural compliance within the one year time frame.

Revised 4-8-08